Instagram extends olive branch to #6tagram app for Windows Phone, will have their legal consent

Developer Rudy Huyn has been hard at work recently on his forthcoming Instagram client dubbed #6tagram for Windows Phone. Earlier this week, the popular photo service altered their API for “security reasons” throwing a monkey wrench in a planned release and forcing Huyn to have to re-think the app logic for getting access to their network. Later, Huyn confirmed that he had indeed “cracked” the new API and posting of videos and photos to Instagram would be doable for his app.

Today, a new wrinkle has happened that is effecting the timely release of #6tagram: Instagram itself, who have reportedly made direct contact with the developer.

But instead of the usual legal threats, the company has worked out a compromise whereby Huyn will send the app for prior approval to the Store, making sure the app “checks out” from a legal (and technical) standpoint. The app won’t be “official” but it will get to wear the title “Supported by Instagram” on its sleeve, making this app the first fully featured Instagram client for Windows Phone that has Instagram’s blessing (or rather, they will look the other way).

We spoke with Huyn who confirmed the story as legitimate:

“I will send them my app, to make some tests and we will work together to check all the legal things, they seem to like the app”

That is certainly a turn around the for the company who has since pulled back those earlier API changes, allowing other third party apps like the popular Instance to continue working unabated. While the company may not have any immediate plans for an official app, their olive branch to Huyn and the Windows Phone community is certainly refreshing. Indeed, we could argue that whatever Huyn produces it will be of higher quality and more feature packed than anything official (see his Wikipedia app for Windows Phone, for example, which is officially sanctioned by the Wikipedia foundation).

The only downside to the offered Instagram support is it will cause a slight delay in publishing the app. The flip side to that is it will give Huyn extra time to work on his creation, including adding a tilt-shift effect. Once released, #6tagram will sport the original Instagram filters, video and photo uploading, and all of the features that an Instagram app should have to make it unofficially-official. In a recent video, posted above, Huyn has demonstrated some of those features in action.

Now with Instagram’s consent, we can be sure that Windows Phone users will have a solid, reliable and non-controversial Instagram client for the foreseeable future. That's huge news.

Update 2PM ET: At this point, Instagram won't be providing technical support to Huyn, meaning the app is still on its own and subject to API difficulties, should they arise. Instead, Instagram is merely giving it a pass/fail from a legal standpoint. While not a slam dunk, it does show a new level of cooperation and detente with the Windows Phone community as legally speaking, they could do a lot to block this app. It will be curious to see in the coming weeks what changes, if any, Instagram asks for within the app, including the name.

They switched up there API. He found a way around so now they want to look at the app so they can find a way to block it and others. And there excuse is let's affirm the legality of the app. Lol .. doesn't MS own shares of FB and IG being owned by FB.

Personally, due to the lates API incident with Instance vs. Instagram I switched to photoplay... and couldn´t be happier. Instagrams refusal to do anything for the WP community tells something about the companys way to handle things. So a new emerging and rivalling (and maybe even better) service like photoplay could make them think twice in the future. Monopoly is always bad for the customer, be it Nokia, Samsung, Apple, Microsoft or Instagram.

@Azaright...This is exactly what i was thinking, it looks better and seem to be more fluid too, they prob letting him do this by using his app as a reference for future updates from Instagram on their official apps

While I don't believe that Instagram is some big baddie, I have had issue with their reluctance to even acknowledge their is demand for their service on this platform. So.even if they never make an official one, this is a pretty good gesture on their part. And honestly, why not just bring Rudy on and make his app an.official one?

Never would have expected this...and Rudy said on twitter that if this app gets enough recognition it might motivate instagram to OFFICIALLY OFFICIALLY come to WP, and after that all that will be left is snapchat since vine and path have already been announced...any news on snapchat Daniel ;)

I know, but for some reason, it became 'a thing' where people in comments section would insist that some Microsoft exec stated that an official Instagram app was on its way.
It still is 'a thing' for other features, like notification center and such. Unless Microsoft or Nokia confirms something, and you can back it up with a link and a quote, I would take what anonymous commenters say with an extremely filtered grain of salt.

Yes!!!!!, the best news so far on 2013 for WP8, I know many of us can't comprehend the importance of Instagram, but having an almost official app, and with their blessing no less, is to me a sign that Windows Phone 8 is OFFICIALLY the third ecosystem, and basically Blackberry is simply falling irreparably behind. Next quarter results should be definitive, either the 10 series of Blackberry gain momentum, or the army of low-value Lumias will have crushed the Canadian company.
Of course because its obligatory to add some gloom to every positive news about WP8, perhaps this is just Facebook's way of stopping the pestering of the Windows Phone comunity about the release of an official app, simply saying "we're cool with #6tagram" is way easier than developing the app themselves. So perhaps this does'nt hint any important growht of WP, but is just "throwing a bone" at MS and Nokia. We'll wait and see.

I understand your exuberance and all that, but you're very wrong. While I'm sure I'm one of, if not THE only person on this site who believes this, but one app does not make or break an entire OS.
And with all due respect, you and those that believe otherwise are part of what's wrong with the mobile community as a whole.
Sorry to go there on you, but it's not just my opinion, but it's something I believe in 100%.

I DON'T believe a single app makes or breaks an OS, but a hell of a lot the 500+ million iOS/Android users do, so you and I must accept we are in the minority, and if WP does not get its act together it will go the way of webOS, and getting its act together unfortunately means appealing to the masses, by way of Instagram and any other fad app that comes along.

I have four coworkers (on both iOS and Android) who all say they love my phone, but they would never switch to a platform that doesn't have Instagram support. One app may not make or break, but it can certainly have a huge impact on momentum. Microsoft is doing a decent job advertising the platform, but the quiet question of apps will stop someone upgrading in the phone store from going with the WP handset. Like it or not, Instagram is too trendy to ignore.

In short, having an app won't necessarily bring in droves of new customers, but not having one will certainly turn away potential ones.

Hows long will this process take so I can change my wife's instance to this instagram supported app. I purchased the instance for her since she made the switch from apple and will pay for this also if it requires. As long as it has all the features as the official I know she will be happy, he will have video as well cause she's been asking about that.

It looks that way to me. They got bad press for blocking and not the best they can do is give consent to this app. Sham in them, why nit make an official app to begin with. This is Microsoft WP not a new no name company.

Any chance Instagram will buy this from Rudy and make it official? Remember the LinkedIn app? I blieve that's how it worked for that dev.
Can't wait to download this. I have loved Instance but this app looks great!

I would almost bet that's what they try and do. He sends over to FB/Instagram, they test it and if they like it they make him an offer. It seems to be the Facebook MO, see something you like that works buy it and make it your own. Good for Rudy as when they do that its usually a nice chunk of change and a good paying job.

And why would you want them to make an offical one? Their iOS app even sucks. Only a iPhone version and no iPad one. This WP app is light years ahead of what they would release anyway. Having their support for it is a major plus in my opinion.

What are the chances we are going see Facebook/Instagram bring Rudy on as a developer and just make his app the official one. Seems to be the Facebook MO, see something you like buy it and make it your own.

Why is it so difficult for Instagram to release an official app? If it took Rudy several weeks of his spare time - he has a day job - then surely it shouldn't be that difficult for Instagram. It is as if they are being difficult on purpose.
If they want to be nice, they can now take the easy option, join forces with Rudy and pay him to develop an official app. Surely that makes most sense. I have no doubt that he'll deliver a top notch app.

Rudy is a blessing to the entire Windows Phone ecosystem. I am glad he did not accept the job offer from one of the "BIG" WP competitior, it takes a lot to reject such an offer. Was it Google? :) Lets give a big bow to Rudy - I support him by installing/buying every app he has published.

In fact, 6Tagram will be first fully featured Instagram third party client for ANY PLATAFORM that has Instagram’s blessing... Oggl isnt a fully featured Instagram client and, as far as I know, Oggl was the only app until today that recieved the Instagram permission.

Can't wait for this!
Hmm, when he was watching the video he uploaded, shouldn't there be a play button rather than pause button when the video is paused? Isn't it always like that with players, the video is paused and you press the play button and it continues.

That's the way most players do it, but his way isn't wrong. If you remember from the days of tape players, you would push the pause button and then push it again to unpause. With DV player, they put the play and pause on one button.

Thanks to all the devs, not just Rudy that have endeavoured to give WP an Instagram experience! But particular thanks to Rudy, of course, for attracting the kind of attention from Instagram that will result in them supporting a 3rd party app. Only thing remaining to say is let's hope it's not crippled in any way!

For the sake of all of our sanity, can we just call this the "official" instagram app and move on?
Great job Rudy for producing something that caused Instagram to take notice and give in to a semi-official solution.

Congrats and this is good news. Of course it really peeves me off. I offered the same thing to Kevin Systrom over a year ago with my own Windows Phone app (at the time it was 7) and said Instagram could have approval of the app if they wanted. At the time he wouldn't budge on the API. This is long overdue.

This is very interesting. Why would Instagram reach out now when there are already quite a few Instagram apps on Windows Phone? Is Rudy that renowned in the industry? I agree with others, if there is no official Instagram in the works but Instagram is now condoning this unofficial one, why not just make it official? I cannot imagine that the reason there is no official Instagram app is because Instagram doesn't have the resources to make one (I mean, if Rudy can do it by himself, surely Instagram could spare the resources--even if it's just outsourcing the project--to make their own official one), so I thought the lack of an official app was due to another reason (such as that rumor that an exec at Instagram has a grudge against Microsoft).

I've never used Instagram so I don't get what the appeal of it is, but I understand it's an important app to many people, and thus, I've been following all the news about Instagram apps (official and unofficial) on Windows Phone for awhile. There seem to be quite a few for some time now, but it wasn't until Instance launched that people seemed satisifed with it (I don't know why the other apps weren't as beloved, probably because they weren't as good), but even now people seem to be more excited about Rudy's version (probably because he has done such a good job developing other apps), but I'm surprised to see Instance getting thrown to the curb. Nevertheless, this is good news. I hope Rudy's app is a huge success. Now, if only he'd change the name.

Yeah, I remember that, but I didn't know how much recognition that garnered outside of the WP dev industry. I was intrigued by the fact that Instagram offered no such olive branch to any of the other developers of previous Instagram apps (such as Instance), but suddenly did when Rudy said he'd make an app.

That's true, but then why not just outsource it? Hell, Microsoft and Nokia would've easily ponied up the cash to develop an official Instagram app (similar to what Microsoft did with the Facebook app), so why isn't Instagram letting Microsoft or Nokia do that but are now suddenly giving their blessing to an unofficial app? Something is amiss.

i dont use instagram at all so i dont care, but it (instance) seemed decent enough and many people bought it. would be nice for all those users to know the app they spent money on will receive the same kind of support.

Really cool and intuitive UI design. God, this man is genius! And oh, did you see the output of the video while recording it on a low-light environment, damn Nokia. Well, I'm excited for this. I wouldn't mind its going to be a paid app because it's definitely worth my penny.

They had to warm to windows phone, every model from the 920 upward has the best cameras on the market, now the lumia 1020 has blown them all away for the forseeable future iphone 25 might have a camera as good as the 1020, instagram need some of those high quality pics that the 1020 and co will produce. I just dont see why they cant make an official app, they have the developers, they have the cash, its obviously a choice from the people in charge not to support windows phone, which i think has been pressured by the platforms like samsung and apple.

I think Instagram should just buy the app from Rudy and make it official. It would probably cost less than developing an app on their own and this guy seems to design apps better than the official apps on other platforms..

You see, THIS is how all these companies should work. If they refuse to make their own, they should be MORE than willing to work with an independent developer who DOES want to make an "official" app. Eventually, they could opt to purchase the rights to the app later.

I'll wait until the app is available before celebrating. It's just that I'm a bit suspicious of Instagram. Why would they let him use their upload API, and for free as well? I wouldn't surprise me if they turn around and tell him that he cannot release the app; plus at the same time maybe they can find out how he bypassed their new security and pick up some ideas along the way.

This is all well and good and I'm excited to be sure. BUT... Time will tell if this app works as well (responsive/fluid/stable) as in the video. I hope it does and I hope Instagram will follow-through on this agreement and be done with it. To most who don't follow WP8 development this will continue to be confusing... "Does Windows Phone have Instagram?" Yes... Well sort of.

I think all developers who have put substantial effort into paving the Instagram on WP road should be recognized because I feel the collective effort is what led up to this one point. Instagram might've noted the whole thing that went down days ago, but they definitely could've been observing the developers since before that. As such, I am much grateful to Daniel Gary as well for all of his efforts. I know this news doesn't make the unspoken rivalry between Instance and 6tagram any better but if it's worth anything, I am still certainly looking forward to v2.0.

So to be clear, 6tagram won't become an official app or something like that.
I was contacted by Instagram to work with them on legal stuff, to be sure that the app will meet all the instagram requirements.
It's a real good news for Windows Phone, a lot a people said some days ago that Instagram hates Windows Phone, etc... it's fault and it proves that.
So what's next? I will send my app to Instagram, they will test it and check all the legal stuff, etc... but the important thing to remember is Instagram is interested by Windows Phone

They are already aware of that.. You missed the whole point of the article.. Instagram is giving him authorized use of the API, but they are not providing technical assistance, so the app is subject to break... Really❔

It's devs like yourself that shows these big companies what one person can achieve! It proves that the excuse of 'the platform isn't big enough to justify the expense of development' is just a front for other self-interests. I hope they don't borrow your code or learn how to block its future implementation. It'd be nice to think their interests are genuine but they give us no reason to really trust/believe them. Anyway, keep up the awesome work!!

The best thing that can happen to Windows Phone users is that Instagram keeps themselves from developing an official app and instead support third-party apps like #6tagram. They indeed won't be supported by Instagram, but making sure they comply with all the legal stuff, the experience will be better when it comes to photo quality and features.

On Android, Instagram still has serious problems with the image quality of the photos after uploadin and they haven't been able to fix it on a number of devices with great cameras like the Galaxy S4 or the HTC One.

Windows Phone cameras won't suffer from that (an official app would be great, but working as it should, not just a lame port) if devs like Daniel Gary and Rudy Huyn work their magic just as they have been doing lately.

They switched up there API. He found a way around so now they want to look at the app so they can find a way to block it and others. And there excuse is let's affirm the legality of the app. Lol .. doesn't MS own shares of FB and IG being owned by FB.

it probably indicates that instagram is not coming on windows phone , thus neither supporting nor extending any technical help to 6tagram , seems very awkward that instagram is owned by fb which in turn has good relationship with microsoft , still no steps taken to ensure instagram on wp8 ,, why?